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Parajuli D, Kc D, Khattri KB, Adhikari DR, Gaib RA, Shah DK. Numerical assessment of optoelectrical properties of ZnSe-CdSe solar cell-based with ZnO antireflection coating layer. Sci Rep 2023; 13:12193. [PMID: 37500703 PMCID: PMC10374893 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-38906-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
In this work, a numerical assessment of the optoelectrical properties of the ZnO-ZnSe-CdSe heterojunction for a thin and cost-effective solar cell was made by using the PC1D simulation software. The photovoltaic (PV) properties have been optimized by varying thicknesses of the absorber layer of the p-CdSe layer, the window layer of n-ZnSe, and the antireflection coating (ARC) layer of ZnO, a transparent conductive oxide with enhanced light trapping, and wide bandgap engineering. There is a positive conduction band offset (CBO) of ΔEc = 0.25 eV and a negative valence band offset (VBO) of ΔEv = 1.2 - 2.16 = - 0.96 eV. The positive CBO prevents the flow of electrons from the CdSe to the ZnSe layer. Further, the impact of doping concentration on the performance of solar cells has been analyzed. The simulation results reveal the increase in the efficiency of solar cells by adding an ARC. The rapid and sharp increase in the efficiency with the thickness of the window layer beyond 80 nm is interesting, unusual, and unconventional due to the combined effect of morphology and electronics on a macro-to-micro scale. The thin-film solar cell with the structure of ZnO/ZnSe/CdSe exhibited a high efficiency of 11.98% with short-circuit current (Isc) = 1.72 A, open-circuit voltage (Voc) = 0.81 V and fill factor (FF) = 90.8% at an optimized thickness of 2 μm absorber layer, 50 nm window layer, and 78 nm ARC layer. The EQE of solar cells has been observed at about 90% at a particular wavelength at 470 nm (visible light range). Around 12% of efficiency from such a thin-layered solar cell is highly applicable.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Parajuli
- Research Center for Applied Science and Technology, Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur, 44613, Nepal.
| | | | - Khim B Khattri
- Department of Mathematics, School of Science, Kathmandu University, Dhulikhel, 45210, Kavre, Nepal
| | - Dipak Raj Adhikari
- Graduate School of Science and Technology, Mid-west University, Birendranagar, 21700, Nepal
| | - Raid Anam Gaib
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Tromso, 9019, Tromso, Norway
| | - Deb Kumar Shah
- School of Semiconductor and Chemical Engineering, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju, 54896, Republic of Korea
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Liu J, Luo Z, Mao X, Dong Y, Peng L, Sun-Waterhouse D, Kennedy JV, Waterhouse GIN. Recent Advances in Self-Supported Semiconductor Heterojunction Nanoarrays as Efficient Photoanodes for Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2022; 18:e2204553. [PMID: 36135974 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202204553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2022] [Revised: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Growth of semiconductor heterojunction nanoarrays directly on conductive substrates represents a promising strategy toward high-performance photoelectrodes for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting. By controlling the growth conditions, heterojunction nanoarrays with different morphologies and semiconductor components can be fabricated, resulting in greatly enhanced light-absorption properties, stabilities, and PEC activities. Herein, recent progress in the development of self-supported heterostructured semiconductor nanoarrays as efficient photoanode catalysts for water oxidation is reviewed. Synthetic methods for the fabrication of heterojunction nanoarrays with specific compositions and structures are first discussed, including templating methods, wet chemical syntheses, electrochemical approaches and chemical vapor deposition (CVD) methods. Then, various heterojunction nanoarrays that have been reported in recent years based on particular core semiconductor scaffolds (e.g., TiO2 , ZnO, WO3 , Fe2 O3 , etc.) are summarized, placing strong emphasis on the synergies generated at the interface between the semiconductor components that can favorably boost PEC water oxidation. Whilst strong progress has been made in recent years to enhance the visible-light responsiveness, photon-to-O2 conversion efficiency and stability of photoanodes based on heterojunction nanoarrays, further advancements in all these areas are needed for PEC water splitting to gain any traction alongside photovoltaic-electrochemical (PV-EC) systems as a viable and cost-effective route toward the hydrogen economy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinlong Liu
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, P. R. China
- School of Chemical Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand
- MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Wellington, 6140, New Zealand
| | - Ziyu Luo
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, P. R. China
| | - Xichen Mao
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, P. R. China
| | - Yusong Dong
- School of Chemical Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand
- MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Wellington, 6140, New Zealand
| | - Lishan Peng
- School of Chemical Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand
- MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Wellington, 6140, New Zealand
| | - Dongxiao Sun-Waterhouse
- School of Chemical Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand
- MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Wellington, 6140, New Zealand
| | - John V Kennedy
- MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Wellington, 6140, New Zealand
- National Isotope Centre, GNS Science, Lower Hutt, 5010, New Zealand
| | - Geoffrey I N Waterhouse
- School of Chemical Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand
- MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Wellington, 6140, New Zealand
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Mostafa MS, Chen L, Selim MS, Betiha MA, Gao Y, Zhang R, Zhang S, Ge G. Novel TiO2@[TiO6]/CoTi layered double hydroxide as a superior ultraviolet/infrared heterojunction for enhanced infrared-prompted water splitting to hydrogen. Colloids Surf A Physicochem Eng Asp 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfa.2022.130098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Feng K, Xue W, Hu X, Fan J, Liu E. Z-scheme CdSe/ZnSe heterojunction for efficient photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. Colloids Surf A Physicochem Eng Asp 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfa.2021.126633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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